The way I see it, if my kid was graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, I'd be so deliriously happy and proud I wouldn't care what kind of a commencement address he gave. Shoot, he could get up there and sing Old McDonald Had a Farm -- he's valedictorian, woo-hoo! That's my boy! But I have to admit, the speech Orestimba High School valedictorian Saul Tello, Jr. gave at his graduation does kind of tug at the maternal heart strings.
It wasn't the content of the speech so much as the way he chose to deliver it: In Spanish, to honor his Spanish-speaking parents. Awww.
Of course, not everybody in the audience understood Spanish, which led to a bit of a problem.
More from The Stir: 'You Are Not Special' Graduation Speech Is One Every Kid Needs to Hear (VIDEO)
Now, on the one hand, I get why non-Spanish-speaking audience members were upset -- it would kind of stink to not understand a word of the speech at your kid's graduation. But here's the thing: Originally, Saul Tello wanted to give the speech in both English and Spanish, but his principal, Jessie Ceja, told him there wouldn't be enough time. So Tello chose Spanish, for his parents' sake.
As a mom, I find that incredibly sweet. Plus, bear in mind that the population of California is 38% Latino. I'm sure his gesture was widely appreciated.
Apparently the school is planning to include inserts printed with both Spanish and English versions of the speech in future graduation programs, which seems like an excellent solution to me. Good luck, Saul!
Do you think giving his commencement address in Spanish was the right thing for this valedictorian to do?
Image via Dave Herholz/Flickr
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Comments 80
if youre getting your panties in a twist over a speech which 90% of the audience dont give a shit about its fucking sad. He worked his ass off and did what he had to do give him a chance to express himself. he coulda said it in any other language other than spanish. i think people are just upset that he spoke in spanish, what if he would have said it in chinese, japanese, french, german..ect would you still be pissed?
To justify it by saying the other parents are there for the meal or the ceremony isn't as important to them is garbage. You can't speak for how deserving every other studen is to have a graduation they can understand and feel a part of. This is another example of the "me" attitude, where the accomplishments and feelings of others aren't as important as mine.
The speech also wasn't translated at the ceremony. If anyone was interested in the speech the student wrote as a farewell to his classmates - then read in spanish to his parents - you'll have to search for it.
You think it's harmless, but let's see your tune when the Red Army marches into Mexico and the balkanized US you helped to destroy is unable to do anything about it.
Ok. He's Valedictorian. It's his speech, and took a chance and chose to do it in 100% Spanish. I think, tho, because of the nature of the Valedictorian speech traditionally is to inspire and speak for his fellow grads he could have split the difference, and made the speech in English and Spanish in the allotted time, introducing it as such. There. Problem solved. Clearly, if the school is quick to change their English/Spanish speech policies, they realize the need to get with the times. It IS California, and that's reality.
I think it's disrespectful to do so. If he wanted to redo it at home in Spanish for his parents, that's fine, but more than half the people there have no idea what was said! Learn the language or go without, simple. My family had to learn it when they immigrated here to survive, stop making it sooo easy on people to get by now.
Part of the point of the Valedictorians speech, is to speak to his/her fellow classmates. That's the point of the graduation ceremony- it's about the group as a whole. I think it's fantastic to honor your family, your roots, and I support a person choosing to use a second (or third!) language in their speech. However.
I just can't understand the entire speech being fully in a different language that the majority of your classmates and attending parents aren't going to be able to understand. At the very *least* a translated transcript should have been passed around to attendees.